After the Revolution

In a flurry of acronyms, the U.S. and the U.K. supported Georgia at the U.N. this week in the Abkhazia dispute.
Russia withdrew trade sanctions against the breakaway republic last week.
The United States and Britain criticized the move, saying it opened up the possibility of weapons trade.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili will discuss the issue with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon […]

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The breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have already invited the whole gang to their international recognition party. (No RSVPs yet.)
But that doesn’t stop Russia from warning Georgia that what will really set the two provinces on an independence rampage is Georgia’s intention to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
According to an article from the BBC, Russia’s NATO ambassador […]

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The hunger strike [see previous post] Georgian opposition leaders promised last month, postponed due to lack of interest, is back on.
Five politicians announced today they would start their fast to protest the recent presidential election in Georgia.
According to an article from Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, opposition leader Levan Gachechiladze compared the renewed protest to November demonstrations that brought the capital to […]

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It seems Vladimir Putin was right. Then again, as illustrated by Russia’s recent presidential election, he’s not averse to stacking the cards to prove his point.
Yesterday the parliament of Abkhazia, one of Georgia’s two breakaway republics, declared its independence to the international community.
The day before, Russia had announced it would lift trade restrictions to the province.
Wouldn’t you know it, […]

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Last week I filmed a “How To” video at Argo Georgian Bakery on Devon Avenue in Chicago.
Devon is one of the most diverse stretches of road in the city. I stumbled upon the Georgian bakery amidst Russian bookstores, Indian beauty salons and kosher restaurants.
When traditional Georgian bread is baked, it is stuck to the side of a round oven […]

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Today Georgia’s richest man, Badri Patarkatsishvili – who died under what were considered “suspicious” circumstances earlier this month – was laid to rest in Tbilisi to the applause of thousands of Georgians.
Patarkatsishvili was considered a “robber baron and philanthropist,” according to an article published by EurasiaNet.org. His wealth helped finance Georgia’s Rose Revolution.
The billionaire had been living in exile in England […]

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Recently headlines are starting to give me deja vu. 
Last week the electoral commission of Armenia declared Serzh Sarkisian, until then the country’s prime minister, winner of Armenia’s presidential election.
According to the count, Sarkisian won a couple of points over 50 percent of the vote, just enough to avoid a run-off. But many say the voting process was seriously flawed.
The Organization for Security […]

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Let me take you on a bit of a side trip to the Republic of Moldova.
From 2004-2006, I taught English in the town of Calarasi, just an hour outside the capital, Chisinau.
There were three secondary schools in my town: two for Romanian speakers and one for Russian speakers. I taught at a Romanian school.
Many of my students told me […]

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Finally, I found an article that mentions what the governments of breakaway provinces in former Soviet republics think of Kosovan independence.
In this article from Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, the leaders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are quoted as saying that they will make appeals for independence to the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
They […]

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If you think the Georgian elections are over, there’s a crowd of angry Georgians who will tell you you’re wrong.
Opposition leaders have continued to protest, and they’re beginning to see some results.
According to an article from EurasiaNet.org, the government met one of the protesters’ chief demands yesterday by releasing six prisoners arrested for participating in […]

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